Question about water pipes freezing in a new build property

[shahid]

Hi

This may seem like a really stupid question but how common is it to find find burst water pipes which froze in very cold weather in new build domestic properties? Reason i ask is that i recently moved to Inverness in North Scotland and purchased a new build 4 bedroom house, however i have to leave my property unoccupied for 5-6 weeks at a time throughout the year as i work on a rotation offshore so obviously i'm worried about central heating/hot water pipes freezing in the winter months whilst i'm away at work if my heating is left switched off. Now common sense would dictate that perhaps i should program my heating to come on for 3 hrs in the morning and evening every day (set room thermostat to 10 deg?) in winter whilst i'm away to minimize the risk ...BUT...in my previous home in Sittingbourne (East Kent) which i also bought as a new-build, i always used to leave the heating off during the winter months whilst at work and yes i know Inverness is colder than Kent, however it does sometimes gets below freezing in Kent yet in 6 years i never suffered from burst pipes in my previous home. Which makes me think that perhaps water pipes in newer properties are less prone to bursting in cold weather than in older homes? What do you think?

If it helps i have a sealed pressurized hot/cold water system with an "Ideal Icon 12" condensing boiler.

Thanks

[mrlennie]

There are regulations put in place to stop pipe freeze and the more up to date the building the better the regs are (regs from 2000 will be better thought out than those of 1970)

I live in Wick (100 miles north of inverness) and the difference in pipe bursts are quite apparent. The water in the pipe may freeze in temperatures around freezing but the pipe will not burst go a little below that and it will burst. If you have any worries get a well known plumber to come out and make sure everything is properly lagged and get house insurance if its something that worries you.

If there is a problem (no lagging) lagging isnt expensive you can get it from plumb center something like 2 pound for 3 metres. shouldnt need more than 20 quids worth.